Thermo insulation of walls with use of foil to decrease burden on firewood use
(Tajikistan)
Гарминигохдории хонахо ба максади кам гардинаи истифодабарии хезум барои гарм кардани хона
Description
This technology is designed for the high altitude mountains areas, where biomass and growing trees are limited, first because of the harsh climatic conditions and secondly because of the limited arable lands for growing biomass and forests. Thermo insulation is applied in order to keep warmth inside and save using wood and biomass.
The technology is applied in the mountainous rural areas of Tajikistan, in Rasht, Khatlon and GBAO. In this mountain regions wood and biomass are usually limited because of the harsh climate, risky agricultural zone and limited arable land. In the first decade of the transition period after the collapse of the Soviet Union problems with electricity and therfore the demand for fuel and wood increased. This caused a lot of forest degradation, because people were cutting trees from government owned and community areas for their fuel needs and used animal manure for heating their houses and cooking food. The technology is specifically designed to use low cost materials so that rural households can afford it. The technology consists of material like foil and wood to build frames for some layers to keep in the heat. Depending on the altitude, which is linked to the climate condition, the number of layers is increased where the climate is cold. The layer in between contains air, which prevents outside and inside air to move out/in. The technology was intended for saving up to 30% fuel. The technology includes support of entrepreneurs to make foil available in the market and provides training for local masters and labourers in designing and constructing of the technology. The main benefit is to contribute to biomass savings and forest preservation through reduced use of wood for heating and cooking. Land users are in favour because through this technology they are using less wood and save forest. They also burn less manure and can use it as fertilizers for their land. The technology brings comfort for longer periods of time by keeping heat inside the room. In addition it contribute also to hygine and sanitation, as less fire making prevents smoke emission and therefore keeps the rooms clean. On first sight the technology seems expensive, becasue of the material costs but in the long run when the cost effectiveness is explained land users accepted it.
Location
Location: Khorog city, GBAO, Tajikistan
No. of Technology sites analysed: 100-1000 sites
Geo-reference of selected sites
-
71.667, 37.53314
-
71.71871, 37.56897
-
71.7551, 37.61268
Spread of the Technology: applied at specific points/ concentrated on a small area
In a permanently protected area?:
Date of implementation: less than 10 years ago (recently)
Type of introduction
-
through land users' innovation
-
as part of a traditional system (> 50 years)
-
during experiments/ research
-
through projects/ external interventions
Thermo insulation of room by using foil (Zevarshoev Askarsho)
Training for local masters on thermo-insulation of ceiling (Khujamyor Khumorikov)
Classification of the Technology
Main purpose
-
improve production
-
reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
-
conserve ecosystem
-
protect a watershed/ downstream areas – in combination with other Technologies
-
preserve/ improve biodiversity
-
reduce risk of disasters
-
adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
-
mitigate climate change and its impacts
-
create beneficial economic impact
-
create beneficial social impact
Land use
-
Forest/ woodlands
- (Semi-)natural forests/ woodlands. Management: Selective felling
- Tree plantation, afforestation. Varieties: Mixed varieties
Products and services: Fuelwood
-
Settlements, infrastructure - Settlements, buildings
Water supply
-
rainfed
-
mixed rainfed-irrigated
-
full irrigation
Purpose related to land degradation
-
prevent land degradation
-
reduce land degradation
-
restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land
-
adapt to land degradation
-
not applicable
Degradation addressed
-
soil erosion by wind - Et: loss of topsoil
-
physical soil deterioration - Pc: compaction
SLM group
-
natural and semi-natural forest management
-
forest plantation management
-
agroforestry
SLM measures
-
structural measures - S10: Energy saving measures
-
management measures - M1: Change of land use type, M2: Change of management/ intensity level
Technical drawing
Technical specifications
A wooden frames is installed on the wall to cover the whole area. Foil will be stretched and will be fixed on the wooden frame on the wall. Based on the need number of layers is selected, which depend on the min/max outside temperature. If required according to the climate and wether of the area and based on altitude another frame from wood will be constructed on the foil and then again another layer of foil will be fixed. The scheme show the frame on the wall with thermo-insulation materials attached to it. The distance between two part of the foil should be an average 2-3sm.
Author: Khujamyor Khumorikov
Establishment and maintenance: activities, inputs and costs
Calculation of inputs and costs
- Costs are calculated: per Technology area (size and area unit: 1 square meter cost 75)
- Currency used for cost calculation: USD
- Exchange rate (to USD): 1 USD = n.a
- Average wage cost of hired labour per day: per sequare meter around 2.5 USD
Most important factors affecting the costs
the cost for the constuction materials in the beginning, because as new technology was introduced foil, as the main product for the technology was difficult to find in the market, which is now commonly sold
Establishment activities
-
Installing of the wood frame (Timing/ frequency: 1 day)
-
attaching/fixing the foil with nail on the wooden frame (add frame and foil layer per need) (Timing/ frequency: 1 day)
-
Cover the structure with clay (mixture of soil and water) as construction material (Timing/ frequency: 2-4 days)
Establishment inputs and costs (per 1 square meter cost 75)
| Specify input |
Unit |
Quantity |
Costs per Unit (USD) |
Total costs per input (USD) |
% of costs borne by land users |
|
Labour
|
| Local master |
person |
1.0 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
30.0 |
|
Construction material
|
| wood |
pe sq meter |
0.5 |
100.0 |
50.0 |
|
| nail |
piece |
20.0 |
0.1 |
2.0 |
|
| foil |
squire meter |
1.0 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
| Total costs for establishment of the Technology |
55.0 |
|
| Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD |
55.0 |
|
Maintenance activities
n.a.
Natural environment
Average annual rainfall
-
< 250 mm
-
251-500 mm
-
501-750 mm
-
751-1,000 mm
-
1,001-1,500 mm
-
1,501-2,000 mm
-
2,001-3,000 mm
-
3,001-4,000 mm
-
> 4,000 mm
Agro-climatic zone
-
humid
-
sub-humid
-
semi-arid
-
arid
Specifications on climate
The technology is applied in high mountain regions of Tajikistan, which are arid and semi-arid zones where some area have less than 100 mm rainfall and in some could be 200-300
Name of the meteorological station: Regional meteorological station GBAO
the whole area of Tajikistan, where the technology is applied is classified as arid or semi-arid agro-climatic zone
Slope
-
flat (0-2%)
-
gentle (3-5%)
-
moderate (6-10%)
-
rolling (11-15%)
-
hilly (16-30%)
-
steep (31-60%)
-
very steep (>60%)
Landforms
-
plateau/plains
-
ridges
-
mountain slopes
-
hill slopes
-
footslopes
-
valley floors
Altitude
-
0-100 m a.s.l.
-
101-500 m a.s.l.
-
501-1,000 m a.s.l.
-
1,001-1,500 m a.s.l.
-
1,501-2,000 m a.s.l.
-
2,001-2,500 m a.s.l.
-
2,501-3,000 m a.s.l.
-
3,001-4,000 m a.s.l.
-
> 4,000 m a.s.l.
Technology is applied in
-
convex situations
-
concave situations
-
not relevant
Soil depth
-
very shallow (0-20 cm)
-
shallow (21-50 cm)
-
moderately deep (51-80 cm)
-
deep (81-120 cm)
-
very deep (> 120 cm)
Soil texture (topsoil)
-
coarse/ light (sandy)
-
medium (loamy, silty)
-
fine/ heavy (clay)
Soil texture (> 20 cm below surface)
-
coarse/ light (sandy)
-
medium (loamy, silty)
-
fine/ heavy (clay)
Topsoil organic matter content
-
high (>3%)
-
medium (1-3%)
-
low (<1%)
Groundwater table
-
on surface
-
< 5 m
-
5-50 m
-
> 50 m
Availability of surface water
-
excess
-
good
-
medium
-
poor/ none
Water quality (untreated)
-
good drinking water
-
poor drinking water (treatment required)
-
for agricultural use only (irrigation)
-
unusable
Water quality refers to:
Is salinity a problem?
Occurrence of flooding
Characteristics of land users applying the Technology
Market orientation
-
subsistence (self-supply)
-
mixed (subsistence/ commercial)
-
commercial/ market
Off-farm income
-
less than 10% of all income
-
10-50% of all income
-
> 50% of all income
Relative level of wealth
-
very poor
-
poor
-
average
-
rich
-
very rich
Level of mechanization
-
manual work
-
animal traction
-
mechanized/ motorized
Sedentary or nomadic
-
Sedentary
-
Semi-nomadic
-
Nomadic
Individuals or groups
-
individual/ household
-
groups/ community
-
cooperative
-
employee (company, government)
Age
-
children
-
youth
-
middle-aged
-
elderly
Area used per household
-
< 0.5 ha
-
0.5-1 ha
-
1-2 ha
-
2-5 ha
-
5-15 ha
-
15-50 ha
-
50-100 ha
-
100-500 ha
-
500-1,000 ha
-
1,000-10,000 ha
-
> 10,000 ha
Scale
-
small-scale
-
medium-scale
-
large-scale
Land ownership
-
state
-
company
-
communal/ village
-
group
-
individual, not titled
-
individual, titled
Land use rights
-
open access (unorganized)
-
communal (organized)
-
leased
-
individual
Water use rights
-
open access (unorganized)
-
communal (organized)
-
leased
-
individual
Access to services and infrastructure
employment (e.g. off-farm)
Impacts
Socio-economic impacts
diversity of income sources
After applying the technology it contributed to 30% of firewood saving, which cost money for the households and community before.
Ecological impacts
habitat diversity
contributes to saving local trees, which are very few growing in the arid areas
landslides/ debris flows
after not cutting the trees and reforestation of degraded area, especially in the slope area contributed to land slide prevention
Off-site impacts
damage on public/ private infrastructure
one contributing to disaster prevention, like landslide and mudflow also prevents damage to houses and public infrastructure
Cost-benefit analysis
Benefits compared with establishment costs
Short-term returns
very negative
very positive
Long-term returns
very negative
very positive
Benefits compared with maintenance costs
Short-term returns
very negative
very positive
Long-term returns
very negative
very positive
Climate change
Gradual climate change
seasonal temperature decrease
not well at all
very well
Adoption and adaptation
Percentage of land users in the area who have adopted the Technology
-
single cases/ experimental
-
1-10%
-
11-50%
-
> 50%
Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many have done so without receiving material incentives?
-
0-10%
-
11-50%
-
51-90%
-
91-100%
Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?
To which changing conditions?
-
climatic change/ extremes
-
changing markets
-
labour availability (e.g. due to migration)
Conclusions and lessons learnt
Strengths: land user's view
-
One time investment contributes to long term effects in saving forest and biodiversity, provides comfort without additional cost using for collection/buying firewood.
Strengths: compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
-
The technology contributes to habitat improvement at all, besides conservation of natural resources it also has social effects in terms of reduced smoke emissions as a result of less firewood making, comfortable condition during harsh winter weather.
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: land user's viewhow to overcome
-
In the short term a big investment is required.
Funding mechanisms should be improved to provide access for farmers/rural population to invest in such technology. Some of the incentive mechanisms should be worked out for replicating the mechanism.
-
Specialized master skills are required to implement the technology.
More capacity building for existing local farmers should be organized at the local level for long term sustainability.
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: compiler’s or other key resource person’s viewhow to overcome
-
By implementing one or two demonstrations at the household level the effect for the purpose of replication and dissemination is very low.
Demonstrations should be applied in public places like school or hospitals so everybody can have access and see the impact.
References
Reviewer
-
Yacime Khadraoui
-
Maximilian Knoll
-
Alexandra Gavilano
Date of documentation: Maart 25, 2018
Last update: Aug. 6, 2019
Resource persons
-
Askarsho Zevarshoev - SLM specialist
Full description in the WOCAT database
Documentation was faciliated by
Key references
-
Wall Insulation Techniques for Buildings in High Mountain Areas: from SLM specialist, free of cost
